Nikki’s Kinetic K9 Training & Nutrition Center

Nikki’s Kinetic K9 Training offers dog-specific training programs designed to help dogs become obedient, well-mannered, and great companions. They provide tailored training plans to ensure comfort for both dog and owner.

**Puppy Foundation Program**: This program consists of 16 private one-on-one lessons. It covers essential topics for new puppies, including basic commands such as come, sit, down, and heel, as well as guidance on proper diet, socialization, and potty training.

**Back to Basics**: This program includes 12 private one-on-one lessons. It utilizes a balanced positive and aversive reinforcement methodology to achieve obedience in commands like come (or here), sit, down, stand, heel, place, door etiquette, off, leave it, and drop it. It also addresses unwanted behaviors such as jumping, nipping, and chewing.

**Advanced In-Home Training**: This program offers 16 private one-on-one lessons, employing a balanced positive and aversive reinforcement methodology. It focuses on advanced obedience commands like come (or here), sit, down, heel, place, off, and leave it, adding duration and distance, and incorporating off-leash work when possible. The program also teaches cool tricks and other advanced commands (e.g., extended distance sit/down, sit in motion, touch, mark, through, crawl, weave, sit pretty) and addresses any behavioral issues experienced in the home.

**Aggression/Behavior Modification Training**: This program involves 16 private one-on-one lessons, utilizing a balanced positive and aversive reinforcement methodology. The training aims to break existing patterns of behavior and reactivity, guiding dogs toward new, acceptable behaviors. While typically 8 weeks, more time may be required for particularly difficult cases, emphasizing the importance of owner consistency for lasting results. The program includes day school, nutritional recommendations, and lifetime support. Training sessions take place in controlled, safe public settings or in the client’s home.

**Off Leash Training**: This program consists of 10 private one-on-one lessons designed to teach dogs how to behave when off-leash in social environments and unfamiliar situations. It includes an e-collar and nutritional recommendations, along with lifetime support. Training takes place in various public settings such as hiking trails, restaurants, other individuals’ homes, and dog parks. Day school is also available for 4-5 hours a day, up to 8 days, for additional support if needed by the dog or owner.

Nikki’s Kinetic K9 Training & Nutrition Center was founded by Nicole (Nikki) McGrath, a professional dog trainer and Clinical Pet Nutritionist. The business offers a holistic approach to canine training and wellness, focusing on both behavioral issues and health-related problems. Nikki aims to get to the root cause of a dog’s problems, whether they are training-related or health-related, such as digestive issues, allergies, skin conditions, pancreatitis, or cancer.

The center provides custom plans tailored to a dog’s specific needs, aiming to heal them from the inside out. Nikki’s philosophy emphasizes strengthening the relationship between dogs and their owners by coaching owners to become calm, assertive leaders through fair and effective training methods. The goal is to create confident and educated dog owners, fostering long-term stability and reliability in the dog-owner relationship.

Nikki works with all breeds and ages of dogs. As passionate canine nutritionists, they offer expert guidance on creating ideal diets, including raw food regimens, custom-tailored to meet specific nutritional needs and aid in recovery from health conditions. The business strives to offer affordable and accessible solutions without compromising pet health, fostering mutual respect, understanding, and love between dogs and their owners.

Accomplishments

Nicole (Nikki) McGrath is a CPCN (Clinical Pet Nutritionist) and Professional Dog Trainer. She began training dogs at age 16 with her first apprenticeship at a facility specializing in protection dogs and police K9s, where she trained puppies in obedience and assisted with daily K9 training exercises. Following this, she apprenticed with a second mentor to broaden her expertise in rehabilitating dogs with behavioral problems.

Nikki has studied biologically appropriate nutrition for canines and felines since age 13, driven by her childhood dogs’ chronic digestive issues. For the past 13 years, she has dedicated her nights and weekends to studying Canine Physiology, the canine lymphatic system, and the canine musculoskeletal system. Nikki utilizes her demo dogs, Koda (a 9-year-old Staffy) and Arrow (a Belgian Malinois), to assist in training, particularly for puppy socialization and building confidence in reactive dogs.

How to Get Started!

To begin training with Nikki’s Kinetic K9 Training, clients should follow these steps:
nnStep 1: Call to set up an initial phone consultation.
nnStep 2: Schedule a 1-2 hour in-person evaluation to determine if the dog is a good candidate for Behavioral Modification Dog Training, or a 1-hour evaluation for Off Leash Training.
nnStep 3: Enjoy the training process and the dog’s new way of communicating, leading to graduation from the program and the start of new adventures.